Headlight mechanism



Jan. 3, 1939.

C. S. ROBBINS HEADLIGHT MECHANISM Filed '001. 4, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l y INVENTQR. CPAM-0m D. /Po fam/5 A BY @3f/day 5,

ATTORNEY.

C. s. ROBBINS Jan. 3, 1939.

HEADLIGHT MECHANI SM Filed oct. 4, 1937 2 sheets-sheenl 2 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEADLIGHT MECHANISM Crawford Robbins, Detroit, Mich.

Application October 4, 1937, Serial No. 167,089

3 Claims. (Cl. 240-8.25)

This invention relates to improvements in front of an automobile showing one headlight asdirigible headlight mechanism for vehicles. It is sembly embodying my invention in cross section,

particularly adapted for, and is shown as em- Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly in section bodied in, headlight mechanism for motor vethrough the headlight assembly shown in Fig. 1,

hicles. Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly broken away 5 An object of this invention is to provide simple, of the headlight assembly shown in Figs. l and 2, inexpensive, sturdy headlight mechanism of the Fig. 4 is an elevation of a fragment of the steercharacter described which is adapted to illuminate ing apparatus and control switch, the road ahead of the vehicle as the vehicle is Fig. 5 is a plan partly broken away 0f the steered around a, curve, structurel shown in Fig. 4 and illustrating the 10 One object of the invention is to provide mecheiecirl QIrCillt irl diagram, and .I anism of this type so constructed that the road- Fig. 5 1S a SectlOn through the switch structure way around the curve toward which the vehicle is ShOWh irl Figs. 4 and 5 on a Vertical line and showmcving is inuminated and, in addition, the path ing part of the actuating mechanism in elevadirectly in front of the vehicle is likewise illumii510n l5 nated. Vehicles of this type are commonly pro- The invention 1S SnOWn as applied i0 arl allto- Vided With a paiii. of headiights being a right mobile to which it is particularly adapted for apheadiight and a left headlight My improved plication. The automobile is a conventional construction is such that as the vehicle is turned structure andina hood is. indicated at |0- t iS to the righi.J the iighi.l rays from the righi.l head common practice to have right and left headlights iighiJ are swung to the I.ightI to illuminate the road associated with the hood on opposite sides .theretoward which the vehicle is turning, and the light of', These hiadhghts may be Sujppirted in any rays from the left headlight remain in the straight Sultable fashlon' one mejhod 1S o provlde a ahead position. When the vehicle is swung to tubular support i2 extendmg. r0m-the-hood to the ieft the iight rays from the ieft headlight are the headlight asmg '4' .My mvinmn 1S adapt 25 swung to illuminate the curve about which the able to any type of headilght Casmg. and .Suppen vehicle is turning and the rays from the right theiefqr'. It 1s merely mustrajed. m this wrm headlight are directed straight ahead. dcngfltueedillitrfsaufm 15' y re ne iIn?)laughhegnvilhplcgl same and only one is here il'luistrated. .It is 30 about the curve include all the rays of light dieggd that the Same descllpblon apphes to rected from such headlight. To accomplish this Each assembl com rises the i I4 f the structure is of such a character that when the mentioned aiid ythe iis i6 whigs iliiigay hea d 5 light rays 0f either headlight are swung out in place by retaining ring i8 or by any other suitwardly all the rays of such headlight are directed able means. Within the Casing is Swingably Sup- 3o out through the headlight 1enS ported the beam directing mechanism. This In the aCCOmpliShmerlt 0f the immediately beam directing mechanism comprises a light bulb aforementioned object a meritorious feature of 20 and leads 22 extending therefrom to a, suiti the construction is that the light beam directing able source of electric Supply Such as a batieiy, 40

mechanism Which iS Supported Within the headnot shown, but which is conventional. The bulb light Gesine for Swingable movement is pivotally is carried by a bracket or frame 24 and a reflector Supported Off Center the centerline 0f the head 26 surrounds the bulb and is likewise carried by light casing and toward the centerline of the vethe bracket 24 ,i5 hicle. This bracket is mounted to swing about a ver- 45 In the Carrying Out 0f my iriVelliJiOIl VariOilS tical pivot. This pivot is here shown as formed types 0f Operating meChariiSm, mechanical, fluid by pivot extensions 28 at opposite ends of the control, or electric ContrOi, might be employed, bracket. These extensions 23 are received within but inthe embodiment illustrated in the drawings Supports secured to opposite sides of the headelectric control mechanism iS ShOWrl. light casing. It will be noted from Figs. 2 and 3 50 Other objeotaadvantaeeaand meritorious feathat the pivotai support of this bracket is erf tures of my invention will more fully appear from center the centerline of the headlight casing and the foliOWiIlg SpeCiiCitiOIly appended Claims, and toward the centerline of the vehicle which is for accompanying drawings, wherein: a purpose hereinafter more fully described. o5 Figure 1 is a plan view of a fragment of a Aspring 32 serves to normally center this beam 55 directing assembly. There is a stop 34 within the headlight casing and a part 36 carried by the bracket and the functioning is as shown in Fig. 1 so that the spring will only pull the assembly to the point of contact of the part 36 with the stop 315i. In this position the reflector directs its beams straight ahead.

To swing this beam directing mechanism so that the reflector occupies the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 electrical operating means is provided. It is understood that any suitable type of operating means might be employed but the one here shown comprises a solenoid structure 38 which is here shown as supported on the inner wall of the hood it. The solenoid plunger dil actuates a crank i2 which in turn pulls a link de, which link is connected at one end to the crank and at the opposite end to the bracket 24.

When the solenoid plunger moves upwardly it will be seen that the link i4 will move inwardly toward the centerline of the Vehicle and swing the reiiector and light bulb to the position shown in dotted line in Fig. l. In such position there is a stop i6 within the headlight casing which is engaged by a part L38 on the swingable bracket to determine the angle of swing of the reflector. This angle of swing is such that all the light rays thrown outwardly by the reflector are passed through the headlight lens. Such method of functioning is induced by the offset pivot mounting of the reflector as heretofore described.

In the drawings Figs. l and 2 show the right head lamp and illustrate how the beam directing mechanism is swung to throw the light rays to the right. It is to be understood that the left head lamp is of a similar construction and is so constructed that the beam of light is thrown to the left. The beam directing mechanism of each headlight has two positions. In one position the light beam is directed straight ahead. In the other position it is directed outwardly away from the centerline of the vehicle.

The control means for this dirigible action of the headlight beam directing mechanisms is associated with the steering apparatus of the vehicle. In Fig. 4 the steering column is indicated as 5t. There is a drag link 52 coupled through a steering arm 5d with the steering mechanism which is of a conventional construction. I provide a switch structure shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 which includes the switch box 58 that may be secured to a side frame member 58 of a vehicle. Within this switch box is a switch having three permitted positions. This switch is hooked up with the electric system of the car. Diagrammatically the battery is shown at 6D. A lead 54 extends from contact 62 of the switch to the battery. A lead 66 extends from the battery through one line 6I to a contact 68 in the switch and through another line 59 to the contact 'le of the switch. The switch includes a movable contact member I2, which movable contact element has a contact point 'ifi adapted to engage the contact element 63 within the switch and a contact part i6 adapted to engage contact i@ within the switch.

To actuate this movable contact member 'i2 in response to steering movement of the steering mechanism I provide a link I8 connected with the steering arm 5d at one end and with a lever 89 at the opposite end. This lever is mounted upon aV shaft 82. This shaft when rotated rocks a lever 85. This lever B carries a part which swings the contact element 'i2 either to make a circuit through the contacts l and `(S8-or through the contacts IU and 'I6 or to break both circuits as is shown in Fig. 5. The circuit formed through the contacts 74, 68 and lead 61 from the battery include the solenoid structure associated with one of the headlights. The circuit formed through the contacts i6, 'lll and line 69 from the battery includes a solenoid structure associated with the other head lamp. Energization of either solenoid swings the beam directing mechanism of the head lamp with which such solenoid is associated. It is apparent that both solenoids could not be energized at the same time and that as the Vehicle steers in one direction one solenoid is energized and as the vehicle is steered in the otherl direction another solenoid is energized.

The operation therefore will be that as the vehicle is steered to the right the right headlight is swung to the right while the beam of the left headlamp continues to project in the straight ahead position. When the vehicle is swung to the left the beam directing mechanism of the left headlamp is swung to direct the beam therefrom to the left while the beam from the right headlamp continues to follow the straight ahead position.

What I claim is:

l. In a vehicle having steering apparatus and having a right headlight assembly and a left headlight assembly, each headlight assembly including a stationary casing and provided with light beam directing mechanism swingably supported within the casing, a spring associated with the swingably supported light beam directing mechanism of each headlight assembly adapted to normally yieldingly hold said light beam directing mechanism to direct the beams straight ahead, the swingably supported light beam directing mechanism of the right headlight assembly being pivoted within its casing offset to the left of the centerline of the casing and supported for swinging movement only in the direction to direct the headlight beam thereof to the right of the straight ahead position, the swingably supported light beam directing mechanism of the left headlight assembly being pivoted within its casing offset to the right of the centerline of the casing and supported for swinging movement only in the direction to direct the headlight beam thereof to the left of the straight ahead position, electrical operating means associated with the swingably supported light beam directing mechanism 0f the right headlight assembly adapted to swing the same against the resistance of its spring and in a direction to direct the beam to the right of a straight ahead position only, electrical operating means associated with the swingably supported light beam directing mechanism of the left headlight assembly adapted to swing the same against the resistance of its spring and in a direction to direct the beam to the left of the straight ahead position only, means limiting the complete swing of each headlight beam directing mechanism, and electrical control means coupled with the steering apparatus and with the operating means associated with each headlight assembly responsive to energizing only the operating means associated with the right headlight assembly when the vehicle is turned to the right and responsive to energizing only the operating means associated with the left headlight assembly when the vehicle Y is turned to the left, the electrically responsive operating means coupled with each swingably supported headlight beam directing mechanism being operable upon electrical energization to immediately swing the headlight beam directing mechanism through its complete permitted arc of swing.

2. In a vehicle having steering apparatus and having a right headlight assembly and a lett headlight assembly, each headlight assembly including a casing provided with a headlight lens and light beam directing mechanism swingably supported within the casing upon a pivot oriset the centerline of the casing and toward the centerline of the vehicle, each light beam directing mechanism including a reflector swingably supported upon said pivot, means normally supporting each reiiector to direct its headlight beam straight ahead yieldable in the case of the right headlight reflector to permit said reflector to be swung only to direct its beam to the right of the straight ahead position and yieldable in the case of the left headlight reector to permit said reector to be swung only to direct its beam to the left of the straight ahead position, and means cooperating with each headlight beam directing mechanism operable in the case of the right headlight reflector to limit its complete swing in the swinging of the headlight beam to the right whereby in the completely swung position of said reector substantially all the light rays directed therefrom will be thrown out of the casing surrounding the reector and operable in the case of the left headlight reflector to limit its complete swing whereby at the completely swung position of said reflector substantially all the light rays directed therefrom will be thrown out of the casing surrounding said reector, operating means responsive to movement of the steering apparatus in steering the vehicle to the right to swing the reflector of the right headlight assembly only and in a direction to direct the beam therefrom to the right, said operating means responsive to movement of the steering apparatus in steering the vehicle to the left to swing the reflector of the left headlight assembly only and in a direction to direct the beam therefrom to the left.

3. In a vehicle having steering apparatus and having a right headlight assembly and a left headlight assembly, each headlight assembly incluchng a casing and light beam directing mechanism swingably supported within the casing, a solenoid associated with each light beam directing mechanism to swing the same, electrical control means associated with the steering apparatus and with said solenoids and responsive to movement of the steering apparatus to steer the vehicle to the right to energize the solenoid associated with the right headlight assembly only to swing the light beam directing mechanism thereof to direct the light beam to the right of the straight ahead position, said control means responsive to movement of the steering apparatus to steer the vehicle to the left to energize the solenoid associated with the left headlight assembly only to swing the light beam directing mechanism thereof to direct the light beam to the left of the straight ahead position, a spring coupled with each swingable light beam directing mechanism adapted to yieldingly hold the same to direct the light beam straight ahead, a stop limiting the swing of each light beam directing mechanism from the straight 

